Jonathan Shafer to make NASCAR debut at Martinsville Trucks

Jonathan Shafer will aim for his maiden NASCAR start at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday when he enters the Craftsman Truck Series race for On Point Motorsports. He will drive the #30 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

Shafer plans to run an eight-race schedule for the team though other dates have not been immediately revealed.

“I’m beyond excited to make my first NASCAR Craftsman Truck race with On Point Motorsports at one of my favorite tracks, Martinsville Speedway,” said Shafer. “I consider this to be my home track because my mom’s family lives right down the road and I have spent a lot of time in this area when I was growing up.

“My goal is to give Steven Lane (team owner) and the team a good finish and to run every lap with no damage. With funding and sponsorship, I hope to run seven more races this year with On Point.”

A seventeen-year-old from Ohio, Shafer previously competed on dirt in the World of Outlaws and USAC. In 2020, he began inching towards a stock car career by competing in the CARS Late Model Tour and finishing seventh in the 2021 standings.

He also ran two ARCA Menards Series East races in 2022 with Venturini Motorsports, respectively finishing seventh and fourth at Dover and Iowa. The latter race was conducted in conjunction with the national ARCA Menards Series.

Shafer is a Toyota Racing Development driver, hence joining OPM for his entry into the Trucks.

He is the son of Todd Shafer, who competed in the Truck Series between 2006 and 2014 with four starts.

On Point has fielded the #30 for multiple drivers in 2023 including Tanner Carrick, Chris Hacker, Colin Garrett, and Ryan Vargas, with Vargas holding its best finish of the year of eighth. Like Shafer, Carrick’s start marked his first career NASCAR race. The #30 is currently twenty-third in owner points.